Liquid-fuel furnace.



Patented Oct 21, 1913.

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G. AYRES.

LIQUIDA FUEL FURNAGE.

ArPLIoATIoN FILED JUNE a, 1913.

1,076,342. Patented 001.21, 1913.

5 SHEETS-.SHEET 2.

G. AYRBS.

LIQUID FUEL rURNAcB. AIPLIOATION FILED JUNE 3, 1913.v 1,076,342 PatentedOct. 21, 1913.

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COLUMBIA PLANDURAPH canvAsz-UNUTQN, n. c.

G. AYRES.

LIQUID FUEL PURNAGE. APPLICATION FILED JUNB, 1913. 1,076,342. Patented001;.21,1913.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

W@ ff G. AYRES.

LIQUID FUEL PUENAGE.

V APPLIOATION FILED JUNES, 1913. 1,076,342 Patented 0015.21, 1913.

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@TED STATES PATENT @FFQE GUSTAV AYRES, OF WASHINGTON, DXSTRICT OFCOLUMBIA, ASSIGNOB 'IO JOI-IN C.y

CALHOUN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

)Patented @et 21, 1913.

Application filed June 3, 1913. Serial No. 771,509.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, Gus'rnv Arens, a citizenof the United States, residing at llfashington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLiquid-Fuel Furnaces; and l do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to improvements in liquid-fuel furnaces, and itconsists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements hereindescribed and claimed.

Ain object of my invention is to provide an improved liquid-fuelfurnace, in which the heat can be readily regulated without danger oftroublesome fouling and clogging by depositions from the fuel.

.il further object of my invention is to provide an improved liquid-fuelfurnace of the pansburner type, which will ope-rate with high efficiencyunder all practical conditions with various characters of liquid fuels.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and inwhich similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views: Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, illustratoneemlmdiment of my invention applied to a boiler furnace; Fig. 2 is afravmentary perspective view of the means shown in Fig. 1 for adjustingthe damper and burners; Fig. 3 is a detail front elevation of the lowerportion of the furnace shown in Fig. 1; Fig. l is a section on the line1 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of automatic means controlledby the boiler pressure for adjusting the damper and burners; Fig. 6 is afragmentary central vertical section, illustrating a slight modi cation;Fig. 7 is a side elevation, with parts shown in section, illustrating amodified construction provided with means for maintaining the liquidfuel at a constant level in the pan burners, F ig. S is a detail planview of the branched fuel-supply pipesv leading to the two inde-pendentfuel chambers of one of the pan burners; Fig. 9 is a side elevation,with parts broken away, of a modified means for maintaining theliquid-fuel supply at a constant level in the pan burners; Fig. 10 is afront elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is alongitudinal vertical section, illustrating my invention applied to ametallurgical furnace; Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of llig.11; and Fig. 13 is a fragmentary section, illustrat-ing adjustabledampers for controlling the supply of air entering above and below theseveral pan burners.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a boiler furnace having acombustion chamber 2 and bridge wall 3; the boiler being shown providedwith water tubes t connected to a drum 5. A lire box 6 of fire brick, orother suitable material, is built against the front wall of the furnace1, and provided with a bottom flue 7 connected with the furnacecombustion chamber 2; said lire box being of uniform cross-sectionthroughout and provided with an open top controlled by a damper 8slidably mounted on a top plate 9.

il lower plate 10 is supported on the bottom of an opening in the frontwall of the lire box, and provided with parallel upstanding flanges 11on which rests the lower fuel pan 12; said flanges spacing the pan fromthe plate 12 to provide a bottom air conduit 13. 'lhe fuel pan -isdivided into two independent fuel chambers 14 by a central longitudinalpartition 15as shown especially in Figs. 3, 8 and 12; independent airconduits being provided beneath said chambers le'j by the medial flange11 of the supporting plate 10.

A lower base plate 16 is provided with parallel downwardly extendingflanges 17 adapted to seat on the top of the pan 12, and an intermediateand shorter flange 17, to provide independent air conduits 18 above thefuel chambers 14 of said pan. An upper supporting plate 19, similar tothe lower supporting plate 10, rests on the base plate 16 and isprovided with parallel upstanding flanges 20 on which rests an upperfuel pan 21; said flanges 20 providing independent air conduits 22beneath the independent fuel chambers 14 of said pan. The top plate 9 issimilar to the plate 1G and provided with parallel downwardly extendingflanges 23 adapted to rest on top of the upper fuel pan 21, and anintermediate shorter flange 23, to provide independent air conduits 24above the fuel chambers of said pan.

The inner ends of the supporting plates 10 and 19 are provided withupwardly inclined deflectors 25 extending parallel to thecorrespondingly inclined end walls of the fuel pans, for directing theair from the bottom conduits 13 and 22 upwardly against the het gasesflowing into the lire box from the upper conduits 18 and 24 above thefuel pan.

Suitable means are employed for automatically maintaining a supply ofliquid fuel in the pan burners at approximately the level of the tops ofthe pans. l have shown t for this purpose independent feed reservoirs 26connected to the chambers 1 4 of the several fuel pans bynbranched pipes27; said branched pipes being provided with check valves 28 and cut-offvalves 29 for independently cutting off the supply of fuel to either ofsaid chambers 14 of the pan. Oil supply tanks 30 are provided withvalved4 discharge pipes'31 opening in the several reservoirs 26 at thelevel of the desired fuel level in the corresponding pan burners; saidtanks 30 discharging into the reservoirs by the well known fountainaetion to automatically maintain a constant liquid-fuel level in saidreservoirs and their connected pan burners.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modified construction, in which an oilsupply tank 32 discharges into independent feed reservoirs 33 for theseveral pan burners; said reservoirs 33 containing floats 34 forcontrolling their inlet valves 35, to automatically maintain a constantlevel of the liquid fuel in said reservoirs and their connected panburners. The upper reservoir 33 is shown provided with an over-flow pipe36 discharging into the open end of an over-flow pipe 37 in the lower"reservoir, thereby providing a simple and effective means forpreventing all danger of flooding the pan burners upon failure of thefloat-controlled valves 35. The several pan burners are provided withrearwardly-extending brackets 38 for supporting flat metal shields 39slidably mounted on the fuel pans between the outer flanges 17 and 23resting on said pans; asshown especially in Fig. 3, the medial flanges17 and 23 are spaced slightly above the medial partitions 15 of the pansto permit the passage of said slidably-mounted metal shields 39therebetween. riheshields 39 may be advantageously fo-rmed of thin sheetmetal, since they are not subjected to the direct action of the burningfuel and are maintained relatively coo-l by the air flowing through theconduits 18 and 24 above the fuel pans. rlhe several shields 39 areconnected by links 40 to cranks 41 adjustably secured by set screws 42on ashaft 43 rotatably mounted in upper and lower bearings 44 and 45 onthe front wall. of the fire box; a handle 46 being secured on said shaftto provide convenient means for shifting the shields 39 to vary theextent of the liquidfuel surface in the pans exposed lto the air flowingthrough the conduits 18 and' 24 above said pans. The damper 8 isconnected by a link 47 to a crank 48 adjustably secured by a set screw49 to the shaft 43; said link being shown provided with a series ofapertures 50 adapted to interchangeably engage a securing screw 51 onthe damper for readily adjusting said damper relatively to the shields39.

rlhe above described construction provides an improved means for readilycontrolling l th-e rate of fuel combustion, and for regulating theaction of theburners to insure an efiicient combustion and an entireavoidance of troublesome fouling of the burners and lire box under alloperative conditions.

Fig. 5 illustrates means controlled by the boiler pressure forautomatically actuating the shaft 43 to regulate the'panrburners. Inthis construction, a crank 52 is secured to ,the lower end of the shaft43 and connected by a chain 53 to a weighted plunger 54 mounted in ahydraulic cylinder 55; said chain passing over guide pulleys 56 andcarrying at its free end a weight 57 sufficiently heavy to shift saidshaft 43 and its attached parts. rFhe hydraulic casing is provided withinlet and outlet conduits 58 Y and 59, respectively, controlled by apiston valve slidably mounted in a casing 60; said piston valve beingconnected by a link 61 with a weighted lever 62, which latter isfulcrumed at 63 and bears on a plunger 64 adapted to be actuated by adiaphragm within a casing 65. A pipe 66 is provided for placing thelower portion of the diaphragm casing 65 in communication with the steamspace of the boiler.

VFrom the above description, it will be clear that should the boilerpressure rise, the weight-ed lever 62 will be raised by the diaphragmplunger 64 and shift the valve within the casing 60 to admit water underpressure through the pi e 58 to the hydraulic cylinder 55; there yforcing up the weighted plunger 54 and causing the shaft 43 to be turnedby the weight 57. This actuation of the shaft 43 will reduce the rate ofcombustion by shifting the shields 39 to reduce the extent ofliquid-fuel surface in the pans exposed to the air entering above saidpans, and the parts-will remain in such position until the boilerpressure drops to its normal point; whereupon, the weighted lever 62would force downward the diaphragm pin and shift the controlling valveof the hydraulic cylinder 55r to out oflt-he inlet and outlet conduitsof the latter.

Should the boiler pressure drop below its normal point, the weightedlever 62 would force downwardly the diaphragm plunger 64 and depress thecontrolling valve of the hydraulic cylinder to open the outletconduitv59 of the latter; whereupon the weighted plunger 54 wouldactuate the shaft 43 to increase the rate of fuel combustion bywithdrawing the shields 39 to increase the extent of the liquid-fuelsurface in the pans exposed to the air entering thereabove.

ln the above operation, the damper 8 would be shifted simultaneouslywith the shields 39 to maintain an efficient proportion of air and hetgases within the fire box.

A conduit G7 is provided for admitting air to the combustion chamber 2of the furnace, and a series of pipes 68 extend through said conduit andthe furnace bridge wall 3 for admitting air at the rear of the lat-ter;the front end of said conduit 67 is pro-vided with a sliding damper G9for controlling the admission of air thereto, and the admission of airthrough the several pipes 68 is controlled by pivotally-mounted dampers70 connected to a common actuating handle 7l. This provides a simple andhighly advantageous construct-ion, by which the character of thecombustion within the furnace can be readily controlled to insure aneiiicient distribution of heat throughout the furnace under allpractical conditions.

Fig. 6 illustrates a slight modification, in which the fire box .72 isinclined downwardly to the combustion chamber 2 of the furnace; therebyavoiding all abrupt deflection of the hot gases in flowing from the firebox through the due 73 to the furnace combustion chamber. The panburners illustrated in this construction are exactly similar to thosepreviously described, and need not be further described; however, itwill be noted that the burners are'positioned in slightly steppedarrangement to extend flush with the inclined wall of the fire box 72.

Figs. 11 and lQillustrate my invention applied to a metallurgicalfurnace74; the pan burners are shown in this construction exactly similar tothose'illustrated in Fig. 1, and need not be described in detail.

My invention has proven highly efficient and advantageous inmetallurgical furnaces, and I have found that in the reverberatory typeof furnace illustrated, lt can maintain an advantageously uniformdistribution of the heat at a very high temperature throughout thefurnace.

Fig. 7 illustrates a construction having tapered, or wedge-shaped,shiftable shields l5 for varying the extent of liquid-fuel surfaceexposed in the pans; the tapered portions of said shields 75 acting asdampers for controlling the entrance ends of the conduits above the fuelpans to regulate the flow of air therethrough. rllhis provides a simpleand advantageous controlling means for maintaining an efficient relationbetween the air and fuel-supply under all operative conditions, andminimizes all danger of troublesome depositions of carbon in thefurnace.

Fig. 13 illustrates a modification, in which swinging damper plates 76and 77 are provided for regulating the flow of air above and beneath theseveral fuel pans; thereby enabling the supply and distribution of theair to be readily regulated at the burners for securing an advantageousoperation under all practical conditions. The swinging dampers 76 and 77are preferably connected to the shift-able shields 39 by linis 7S and79, respectively, for simultaneously shifting said damper-s with theshields 39 to maintain a satisfactory relation between the vair and fuelat the burners in all positions of said shields.

`l have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactoryconstructions, but changes could be made within the spirit and scope ofmy invention.

l claim 1. ln a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burnerhaving a longitudinal vertical partition to provide two independent fuelchambers, means for supplying a liquid fuel to said chambers, a conduitfor directing air across the surface of the liquid fuel in saidchambers, shiftable means for varying the extent o-f such liquid-fuelsurface exposed to the air, andmeans for independently controlling thefuel supply to either of said chambers.

2. In a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a fire box provided withan open top and with a front opening adjacent thereto, a damper forcontrolling the open top of said fire box, a pan burner extendingthrough such front opening, means for supplying a liquid fuel to saidburner, a conduit for directing air across the surface of the liquidfuel in said burner, shiftable means for varying the extent of suchliquid-fuel surface exand a common means for posed to the air,

damper and simultaneously shifting said shiftable means.

3. In a liquid-fuel furnace, the combina` tion of a fire box providedwith an open top and with a front opening adjacent thereto, a damper forcontrolling the open top of said fire box, a pan burner extendingthrough such front opening, means for supplying a liquid fuel to saidburner, a conduit for directing air across the surface of the liquidfuel in said burner, shiftable means for varying the extent of suchliquidfuel surface exposed to the air, a common means for simultaneouslyshifting said damper and shiftable means, and means for adjusting therelative positions of said damper and shiftable means.

4. ln a boiler furnace, the combination of a fire box communicating atits lower end with the combustion chamber of said furnace, a pan burnerextending through the front wall of said fire box adjacent the top ofthe latter, means for supplying a liquid fuel to said burner, a conduitfor directing air across the surface of the liquid fuel in said burner,shiftable means for varying the extent of such liquid-fuel surfaceexposed to the air, and adjustable means for independently admitting airrespectively to the combustion chamber of said furnace and at the rearof the bridge wall of the latter.

5. ln a boiler furnace, the combination of an open top fire boxcommunicating at its lower end with the combustion chamber of saidfurnace, a damper for controlling the open top of said lire box, a panburner extending through the front wall of said fire box adjacent thetop of the latter, means for supplying a liquid fuel to said burner, aconduit for directing air across the surface of the liquid fuel in saidburner, shiftable means for Varying the extent of such liquid-fuelsurface exposed to the air, a common means for simultaneously shiftingsaid damper and shiftable means,`and adjustable means for independentlyadmitting air respectively to the combustion chamber of said furnace andat the rear of the bridge wall of the latter.

G. ln a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burner, means forsupplying a liquid fuel to said burner, a conduit for directing airacross the surface of the liquid fuel in said burner, shiftable means insaid' conduit for varying the extent of such liquid-fuel surface exposedto the air, and means for regulating the flow of air through saidconduit.

7. ln a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burner, means forsupplying a liquid fuel to said burner, a conduit 'for directing airacross the surface o-f the liquid fuel in said burner, shiftable meansAin said conduit for varying the extent of such liquid-fuel surfaceexposed to the air, a damper for controlling the flow of air throughsaid conduit, and means for simultaneously actuating said damper andshiftable means for varying the flow of air through said conduit and theextent of fuel surface exposed to such air.

8. lfn a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burner, means forsupplying a liquid fuel to said burner, Va conduit for directing airacross the surface of the liquid fuel in said burner, shiftable meansfor Varying the extent of such liquid-fuel sur- Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofPatents,

Washington, D. C.

face exposed to the air, apassage below said pan rburner for directingair beneath the products of combustion flowing from the pan surface, andmeans for regulating the flow of air through said conduit and passage.

9. ln a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burner, means forsupplying a liquid fuel to said burner, a co-nduit for directing airacross the surface of the liquid fuel in said burner, shiftable meansfor varying the extent of such liquid-fuel surface exposed to the air, apassage below said pan burner for directing air beneath the products ofcombustion flowing from the pan surface, and separate damperscontrolling said conduit and passage for regulating the flow of airtherethrough.V

l0. ln a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burner, means forsupplying a liquid fuel to said burner, a conduit for.

directing air across the surface of the liquid fuel in said burner,shiftable means for varying the extent of such liquid-fuel surfaceexposed to the air, a passage below said pan burner for directing airbeneath the products of combustion flowing from the pan surface,separate dampers controlling said conduit andpassage for regulating theflow ofpairtherethrough, and means for simultaneously actuating saiddampers for,

regulating the flow of air through said conduit and passage.

ll. ln a liquid-fuel furnace, the combination of a pan burner, means forsupplying a liquid fuel to said burner, a conduit for directing airacross the surface of the liquid fuel in said burner, shiftable meansfor varying the extent of such liquidefuel surface exposedto the air, apassage below said pan burner for directing airbeneath the products ofcombustion flowing from the pan surface, separate dampers controllingsaid conduit and passage for regulating the flow of air therethrough,and means for simultaneously actuating said shiftable means and dampers.

In testimony whereof7 l affix my signa ture7 in presence of twowitnesses. Y

- GUSTAV AYRES.

lVitnesses EDWIN J. BELLER, D. KIND VVATKINS.

